The present invention relates to a heel support device for use in a shoe making or lasting machine for forming or lasting the toe and sides of a shoe upper that is tensioned over a last seated or resting on a last support. In this type of device, a heel support or heel support member is movable along a guide that is fixed to and stable with the machine. This movement is achieved by a drive that moves the heel support along the guide in a first direction from an unloading position that is spaced from the last to a supporting position in contact with and supporting a heel portion of the upper that is tensioned about the last. After completion of a lasting operation, the drive moves the heel support along the guide in an opposite second direction to return the heel support to the unloading position. At such time, the last and the lasted upper are removed from the last support and a new last and upper to be lasted are positioned on the last support for a subsequent or new lasting cycle.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,749 a lasting machine having a heel support located at the start of the lasting cycle at a distant, spaced unloading position that corresponds to the maximum possible distance of the heel support from the heel end of the last and in which a previously lasted unit can be removed from the last support, for example by falling into a tray located beneath the last support. To conduct a subsequent lasting operation or cycle, the heel support is moved from the unloading position into a contact position at the heel of the last, or the upper tensioned thereon, that is newly positioned on the last support. This operation is achieved by an operator via a control mechanism. Following the completion of the lasting operation or cycle, the heel support is returned to the unloading position to allow the lasted unit, i.e. the last and lasted upper, to be removed from the last support, i.e. to drop into the tray. The distance of movement of the heel support between the unloading and contact or supporting positions is set to be the maximum required for the largest possible size last employed by the machine. One disadvantage of this system is that, particularly when lasting smaller or shorter shoe units, the heel support must travel a relatively long distance from the unloading position to the supporting position. This substantial travel distance takes time, and this time is wasted and thus reduces the productivity of a mass production operation.
It is known to provide, such as disclosed in WO 87/05476 A, a machine for reconditioning and lasting the toe of a shoe upper wherein the heel support has a plurality of preselected "next starting positions". In this system an operator selects a particular such "next starting position", for example by means of a dial or other selector mechanism, and this is based on the particular size of the next unit to be lasted. In this system, the operator always must be careful to observe that the correct next starting position that is chosen is correct for the unit located on the last support. This inherently occasionally results in difficulties when the operator incorrectly chooses the next start position.